chronicles of a girl on the run with her dog

Runner Unenthused

skort yes, top no

Unenthused. I’m not even sure that is a real word. Anyhow, that is they way my run started out today. Ho hum… I could have cared less about it. Just wanted to bang it out as it was on my training plan (11 miles). The wardrobe turned out to be a bit problematic as I was trying out some new duds from my store, so I probably won’t wear that top running again, but I still think it’s cute and can wear it for other occasions. It just kept sliding up and thankfully I had a fleece pullover to tie around my waist and hold it down once I got warm. This photo was actually taken the other day when I received my latest Athleta order (I know, I promised a fashion show… it’s coming). For the record, I of course wore a sports bra underneath today. The skort was great once I realized that a runner with curves, like me, needed to unzip the sides a tad to keep it from sliding up my rear, which I’m sure it did during the first part of my run, but I really didn’t care. Remember, I was unenthused. Which led me to thinking during my run that I should change my blog name to something like: curvy runner girl. Because that is what I am. No matter what I do, I will always have a curvy body, which is not your typical runner’s body. (Although I still magically hope one day to get that!)

I only planned to do 10 miles since I haven’t run more than 6 since the marathon 9 weeks ago due to injury. I ended up running 10.4 at an average pace of 10:07 just a hair over the training plan’s pace of 9:55. I guess I’m happy about that. I wasn’t out to set any speed records and wanted to treat this run as a long run should be treated: with respect, as my Runner’s World smart coach plan suggests. Go easy on long run days so you can go hard on the days that call for it. So, that is what I did. I mainly am trying to ease my body into running the longer distances without stressing my calf out too much. So far so good. I’m sure my legs will feel sore tomorrow, but having that long run under my belt will make that pain worth it.

i know!! it's gross! just wanted you to feel my pain!!

Now this pain… this is something entirely different. I’m extremely bummed about my new shoes, the Saucony Pro Grids. On top of that, I’m pretty mad at the shoe guru who sold them to me. I am getting some nasty blisters on the ball of my foot, as well as the toes, though the toes I solved by going back to wearing my silicone toe pads. I’m not sure how to cover up the side of my foot (although another blogger suggested pre-wrap, which I haven’t gotten yet and frankly am not sure how to go about using that… wrap around my whole foot? who wants to do that?), so it’s been really painful about 5 miles into every run. Today’s blister was almost unbearable, but I told myself it couldn’t be worse than the blister I got at the marathon, so I didn’t stop running. Still, I am really disappointed in the shoe guru’s response when I called him Friday afternoon to tell him that my shoes were giving me some major blisters and his response was this: “Well, I’m not sure what you want me to say.” Um…. really? How about… maybe they are not the right shoe and since you did spend over $200 in my little shop I will hook you up with something else. But no… He then offered for me to come in and maybe we can lace them different or something and see how I’m running in them… What. Ever. He wanted to know how many times I’ve run in them and I said maybe 10. My company would never treat a customer like that. More businesses should be run like them. I haven’t decided if I will go in and see him on my day off this week. SUPER DUPER DISAPPOINTING! I may just go back to running in my Brooks Trance shoes for the time being and try to sell those Pro Grids on ebay or something. At least the Brooks didn’t give me those blisters on the side of my foot–never ever. OUCH!

It’s been a tough journey for me these last eight weeks getting my running back to an enjoyable place after the last injury. My brother stopped running long ago because of his calves always hurting. I refuse to give up! Somehow I will find my happy place again with my runs. I think it’s just around the next corner, I just need to keep running to get there.

Ouch! That’s a gnarly photo! Never had a blister there before. I run in Saucony progrids and love them, but it sounds like you need to go back to your Brooks! I will say that my newest pair fits looser than my previous pairs, which worries me. I don’t think the pre-wrap will help too much with this (but I guess you could wrap it around the foot a few times, then wrap athletic tape over it). Have you tried things like putting moleskin over the blister [http://www.livestrong.com/article/211100-how-to-put-moleskin-over-a-blister/ ]. Check out this page for info on blisters caused by running: http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Blister_Prevention

Hi Joe, thanks for the articles. I’m going to try running (if I can) in my Brooks until the blister is healed and then try the Pro Grids again. It is so frustrating! I’m thinking that the left foot might be a tad smaller than the right because I don’t have any problems with my right.